NOT getting serious about wasteful spending

Despite the Tea Party’s influence on policy and the S&P Downgrade, it seems that nothing has changed in terms of spending. For starters, there is this ridiculous story about the federal government’s $40 million poultry bailout. Apparently, chicken prices are simply too low, so Washington had to step in. I know $40 million isn’t a lot of money in a $3.8 trillion budget, but if we can’t cut that, what can we cut???

Then there is the debate over cost savings at the Post Office and whether to run Las Cruces mail through El Paso The Las Cruces Sun-News says “no.” I don’t get it. The Post Office ran an $8.5 billion deficit this year. Clearly, things have to change rapidly lest taxpayers be left holding the bag. In this day of email and instant communication, is having your own postmark as a city really that big a deal?

Lastly (in this list of examples, but not by any means in terms of wasteful spending), there is the essential air service debate. I lauded GOP Members of Congress for standing firm, only to watch them cave. Not surprisingly, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood promptly promised to waive any service cuts under the program. Kinda like Lucy and Charlie Brown playing football…

Again, if the federal government keeps bailing out the poultry industry, forcing the Post Office to waste money, and subsidizing wasteful flights, what chance is there to address entitlements and the really big issues?